Spanish Immersion Program And Wilderness First Responder

When Tyler headed to Mexico last month with a handful of fellow Back 2 Basics residents and staff, he'd been out of the country only once before, at age 10-on a weeklong family vacation to a resort in the Caribbean.

This trip would be much different. Tyler would live among locals, eat local fare, and spend three hours each day in Spanish language classes. He would wear himself out trying to paddle past the breakers, get pummeled by the current, endure sunburn and hit his pillow each night utterly fatigued.

And it was all by design.

The Back 2 Basics model is both therapeutic and experiential. It's based firmly in the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and emphasizes established modes of recovery. But its founders also believe that in addition to just getting sober, residents must be introduced to a full and active sober life in order to succeed.

As a case in point, the Spanish Immersion Program focuses on sobriety, but also emphasizes cultural exposure and community service in other parts of the world. Joined by Roy Duprez, CEO & Founder of Back 2 Basics, Tyler and several other residents participated in Spanish lessons, performed community service at a local orphanage and took surfing lessons-even as they doubled attendance at the local AA meetings.

For all of the residents, the trip was a chance to explore the world outside of alcohol and drug addiction. For Tyler, Mexico was a turning point.

"One of the reasons they wanted me to go was to get out of my shell, start interacting more," he said of the staffers who invited him on the trip. "The first two months I was here I was thinking about leaving, sort of fighting the process. In Mexico I realized, 'I'm going to be here at least six months. If I go with the flow, it will go a lot faster.'"

And the surfing made sobriety infinitely more appealing.

"I thought that when I got sober, the fast-paced lifestyle would disappear," he said. "It's kind of a reminder that you can have a ton of fun, still get these naturally high feelings in sobriety."

Not all of the Back 2 Basics residents went to Mexico. Others stayed stateside and earned their Wilderness First Responder Certification, including First Aid and CPR, which will allow them to handle medical emergencies that can happen in the outdoors. Because the Back 2 Basics experience hinges on sobriety through outdoor activities, the residents will now have the tools and confidence to care for each other while in the wilderness. And those same skills will help them contribute to the larger world for years to come, as they continue to venture into wild places, prepared to help.

Back 2 Basics is proud of the accomplishments its residents have demonstrated in Mexico and the WFR training program-and we look forward to announcing more innovative, experiential programs that enhance the recovery process.